Fans of Tahj Mowry will remember him from his breakout role on Smart Guy as T.J. Henderson, “a 10-year-old whiz kid bustin high school,” as the theme song explained. The sitcom first aired on then-named The WB, with reruns then running on Disney Channel. Mowry’s relationship with the Mouse continues to this day — he currently costars on Freeform’s (previously ABC Family, owned by Disney) Baby Daddy.

He also has some popular Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM) to his credit. Like most DCOM fans, who can take in a Memorial Day weekend marathon of the popular titles, the actor saw the effectiveness in Disney’s approach to family and fantasy. “They took a real life character, a real life family, and they just threw them in this fantasy world, which is like what every kid wants to do all the time,” Mowry tells EW. Citing his 2001 DCOM The Poof Point, where his character’s parents aged backwards, he recalled its ability to teach a lesson to young viewers. “Each movie had a message. That’s always been a big thing for me and my family, doing things that you can learn from,” he says. “That’s what those DCOMs did.”

WANT MORE EW? Subscribe now to keep up with the latest in movies, television, and music.

As for Mowry’s favorite movie? “I think, well, I gotta say Hounded!” Another romp in the DCOM pool for Mowry in 2001, Hounded featured a nefariously cute Pomeranian dog chasing Mowry from scene to scene. Recognizing he might be a bit biased choosing his own movie, he acknowledges his adoration for another. “People love that one, but my favorite, I think I gotta go with Smart House. I love, love, love that one.”

The DCOM Memorial Day marathon kicked off with Kim Possible: So the Drama (in which Mowry also voiced Wade) and continues through the holiday weekend.

The summer premiere of Baby Daddy will air Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on Freeform.